We need to constantly remind ourselves that these are not "bad" kids, but many of them are kids to whom bad things have happened. With help, these fragile teens can and will succeed -- but not by locking them up with adults.

Nobody listens to Alberto Gonzales in large part because, putting it charitably, he was not merely an unprincipled attorney general but an uninspired one. Of course, we also tune him out because we can't be sure he's telling the truth.